The city is in the Arkansas Timberlands, and UAM is home to the state's only School of Forest Resources.

In 1925, the General Assembly authorized the school's name to be changed to the Arkansas Agricultural and Mechanical College.

From 1969 to 1972, the University of Arkansas System increased its racial diversity and serving the state population by adding three new campuses: in Little Rock, Pine Bluff, and Monticello.

On July 1, 2003, the University of Arkansas at Monticello expanded its mission to include vocational and technical education.

The UAM College of Technology-Crossett and the UAM College of Technology-McGehee became part of the University of Arkansas at Monticello, creating a larger system of post-secondary education in Southern Arkansas.

[9][10] University of Arkansas at Monticello athletic teams are known as the Boll Weevils and Cotton Blossoms.